THE  POST  OFFICE 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

HEW  YORK  •  BOSTON  •   CHICAGO   •  DALLAS 
ATLANTA   •   SAN  FRANCISCO 

MACMILLAN  &  CO..  LIMITED 

LONDON  •  BOMBAY   •  CALCUTTA 
MELBOURNE 

THE  MACMILLAN  CO.  OF  CANADA,  LTD. 

TORONTO 


THE  MACMILLAN   COMPANY 

NEW  YORK    •    BOSTON        CHICAGO 
ATLANTA   •    SAN    FRANCISCO 

MACMILLAN   &  CO.,  LIMITED 

LONDON    •    BOMBAV        CALCUTTA 
MELBOURNE 

THE  MACMILLAN  CO    OF  CANADA,  LTD 

TORONTO 


OFFICE 


BV 
RABINDRANATH  TAGOttE 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMfANV 

1916 
AL1-  RIGHTS  RESERVED 


COPYRIGHT,  1914 
BY  MITCHELL  KEXNERLEY 


COPYRIGHT,  1914 
BY  THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 


Set    up    and  electrotyped.     Published,    March,    1911. 
Reprinted,  March,  April,  October,   1914;  June,    1915; 
August,  1916. 
Bolpur  Edition,  October,  1916. 


DRAMATIS  PERSONS 

MADHAV 

AMAL,  his  adopted  child 

SUDHA,  a  little  flower  girl 

THE  DOCTOR 

DAIRYMAN 

WATCHMAN 

GAFFER 

VILLAGE  HEADMAN,  a  bully 

KING'S  HERALD 

ROYAL  PHYSICIAN 


THE  POST  OFFICE 
ACT  I 


THE  POST  OFFICE 
ACT  I 

[Madhav's  House] 

Madhav 

What  a  state  I  am  in!  Before  he 
came,  nothing  mattered;  I  felt  so  free. 
But  now  that  he  has  come,  goodness 
knows  from  where,  my  heart  is  filled 
with  his  dear  self,  and  my  home  will 
be  no  home  to  me  when  he  leaves. 
Doctor,  do  you  think  he 

Physician 

If  there's  life  in  his  fate,  then  he  will 
live  long.  But  what  the  medical  scrip- 
tures say,  it  seems 

Madhav 

Great  heavens,  what? 
9 


10          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Physician 

The  scriptures  have  it:  "Bile  or  pal- 
sey,  cold  or  gout  spring  all  alike." 

Madhav 

Oh,  get  along,  don't  fling  your  scrip- 
tures at  me;  you  only  make  me  more 
anxious;  tell  me  what  I  can  do. 

Physician  [Taking  snuff] 

The  patient  needs  the  most  scrupu- 
lous care. 

Madhav 

That's  true;  but  tell  me  how. 

Physician 

I  have  already  mentioned,  on  no  ac- 
count must  he  be  let  out  of  doors. 

Madhav 

Poor  child,  it  is  very  hard  to  keep 
him  indoors  all  day  long. 


THE  POST  OFFICE          11 

Physician 

What  else  can  you  do?  The  autumn 
sun  and  the  damp  are  both  very  bad 
for  the  little  fellow — for  the  scriptures 
have  it: 

"In  wheezing,  swoon  or  in  nervous  fret, 
In  jaundice  or  leaden  eyes " 

Madhav 

Never  mind  the  scriptures,  please. 
Eh,  then  we  must  shut  the  poor  thing 
up.  Is  there  no  other  method? 

Physician 

None  at  all :  for,  "  In  the  wind  and  in 

the  sun " 

Madhav 

What  will  your  "in  this  and  in  that" 
do  for  me  now?  Why  don't  you  let 
them  alone  and  come  straight  to  the 
point?  What's  to  be  done  then?  Your 
system  is  very,  very  hard  for  the  poor 
boy;  and  he  is  so  quiet  too  with  all  his 


12          THE  POST  OFFICE 

pain  and  sickness.  It  tears  my  heart  to 
see  him  wince,  as  he  takes  your  medi- 
cine. 

Physician 

The  more  he  winces,  the  surer  is  the 
effect.  That's  why  the  sage  Chyabana 
observes:  "In  medicine  as  in  good  ad- 
vices, the  least  palatable  ones  are  the 
truest."  Ah,  well!  I  must  be  trotting 
now.  [Exit] 

[Gaffer  enters} 

Madhav 

Well,  I'm  jiggered,  there's  Gaffer 
now. 

Gaffer 
Why,  why,  I  won't  bite  you. 

Madhav 

No,  but  you  are  a  devil  to  send  chil- 
dren off  their  heads. 


THE  POST  OFFICE          13 

Gaffer 

But  you  aren't  a  child,  and  you've 
no  child  in  the  house;  why  worry  then? 

Madhav 

Oh,  but  I  have  brought  a  child  into 
the  house. 

Gaffer 

Indeed,  how  so? 

Madhav 

You  remember  how  my  wife  was 
dying  to  adopt  a  child? 

Gaffer 

Yes,  but  that's  an  old  story;  you 
didn't  like  the  idea. 

Madhav 

You  know,  brother,  how  hard  all 
this  getting  money  in  has  been.  That 
somebody  else's  child  would  sail  in  and 


14          THE  POST  OFFICE 

waste  all  this  money  earned  with  so 
much  trouble — Oh,  I  hated  the  idea. 
But  this  boy  clings  to  my  heart  in 
such  a  queer  sort  of  way 

Gaffer 

So  that's  the  trouble!  and  your 
money  goes  all  for  him  and  feels  jolly 
lucky  it  does  go  at  all. 

Madhav 

Formerly,  earning  was  a  sort  of  pas- 
sion with  me;  I  simply  couldn't  help 
working  for  money.  Now,  I  make 
money  and  as  I  know  it  is  all  for  this 
dear  boy,  earning  becomes  a  joy  to  me. 

Gaffer 

Ah,  well,  and  where  did  you  pick  him 
up? 

Madhav 

He  is  the  son  of  a  man  who  was  a 
brother  to  my  wife  by  village  ties.  He 


THE  POST  OFFICE          15 

has  had  no  mother  since  infancy;  and 
now  the  other  day  he  lost  his  father 
as  well. 

Gaffer 

Poor  thing:  and  so  he  needs  me  all 
the  more. 

Madhav 

The  doctor  says  all  the  organs  of  his 
little  body  are  at  loggerheads  with  each 
other,  and  there  isn't  much  hope  for 
his  life.  There  is  only  one  way  to  save 
him  and  that  is  to  keep  him  out  of  this 
autumn  wind  and  sun.  But  you  are 
such  a  terror !  What  with  this  game  of 
yours  at  your  age,  too,  to  get  children 
out  of  doors ! 

Gaffer 

God  bless  my  soul!  So  I'm  already 
as  bad  as  autumn  wind  and  sun,  eh! 
But,  friend,  I  know  something,  too,  of 
the  game  of  keeping  them  indoors. 
When  my  day's  work  is  over  I  am  com- 


16          THE  POST  OFFICE 

ing  in  to  make  friends  with  this  child 
of  yours.    [Exit] 

[Amal  enters] 

Amal 
Uncle,  I  say,  Uncle! 

Madhav 
Hullo!    Is  that  you,  Amal? 

Amal 

Mayn't  I  be  out  of  the  courtyard  at 
all? 

Madhav 
No,  my  dear,  no. 

Amal 

See,  there  where  Auntie  grinds  lentils 
in  the  quirn,  the  squirrel  is  sitting  with 
his  tail  up  and  with  his  wee  hands  he's 
picking  up  the  broken  grains  of  lentils 


THE  POST  OFFICE          17 

and  crunching  them.     Can't  I  run  up 
there? 

Madhav 
No,  my  darling,  no. 

Amal 

Wish  I  were  a  squirrel! — it  would  be 
lovely.  Uncle,  why  won't  you  let  me 
go  about? 

Madhav 

Doctor  says  it's  bad  for  you  to  be 
out. 

Amal 
How  can  the  doctor  know? 

Madhav 

What  a  thing  to  say!  The  doctor 
can't  know  and  he  reads  such  huge 
books ! 


18          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Amal 

Does  his  book-learning  tell  him 
everything? 

Madhav 
Of  course,  don't  you  know! 

Amal  [With  a  sigh] 

Ah,  I  am  so  stupid!  I  don't  read 
books. 

Madhav 

Now,  think  of  it;  very,  very  learned 
people  are  all  like  you;  they  are  never 
out  of  doors. 

Amal 
Aren't  they  really? 

Madhav 

No,  how  can  they?  Early  and  late 
they  toil  and  moil  at  their  books,  and 
they've  eyes  for  nothing  else.  Now, 
my  little  man,  you  are  going  to  be 


THE  POST  OFFICE          19 

learned  when  you  grow  up;  and  then 
you  will  stay  at  home  and  read  such 
big  books,  and  people  will  notice  you 
and  say,  "he's  a  wonder." 


Amal 

No,  no,  Uncle;  I  beg  of  you  by  your 
dear  feet — I  don't  want  to  be  learned, 
I  won't. 

Madhav 

Dear,  dear;  it  would  have  been  my 
saving  if  I  could  have  been  learned. 

Amal 

No,  I  would  rather  go  about  and  see 
everything  that  there  is. 

Madhav 

Listen  to  that !  See !  What  will  you 
see,  what  is  there  so  much  to  see? 


20          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Amal 

See  that  far-away  hill  from  our  win- 
dow— I  often  long  to  go  beyond  those 
hills  and  right  away. 

Madhav 

Oh,  you  silly!  As  if  there's  nothing 
more  to  be  done  but  just  get  up  to  the 
top  of  that  hill  and  away!  Eh!  You 
don't  talk  sense,  my  boy.  Now  listen, 
since  that  hill  stands  there  upright  as 
a  barrier,  it  means  you  can't  get  beyond 
it.  Else,  what  was  the  use  in  heaping 
up  so  many  large  stones  to  make  such 
a  big  affair  of  it,  eh! 

Amal 

Uncle,  do  you  think  it  is  meant 
to  prevent  your  crossing  over?  It 
seems  to  me  because  the  earth  can't 
speak  it  raises  its  hands  into  the  sky 
and  beckons.  And  those  who  live  far 
and  sit  alone  by  their  windows  can  see 


THE  POST  OFFICE          21 

the  signal.    But  I  suppose  the  learned 
people — 

Madhav 

No,  they  don't  have  time  for  that 
sort  of  nonsense.  They  are  not  crazy 
like  you. 

Amal 

Do  you  know,  yesterday  I  met  some- 
one quite  as  crazy  as  I  am. 

Madhav 
Gracious  me,  really,  how  so? 

Amal 

He  had  a  bamboo  staff  on  his  shoul- 
der with  a  small  bundle  at  the  top,  and 
a  brass  pot  in  his  left  hand,  and  an  old 
pair  of  shoes  on;  he  was  making  for 
those  hills  straight  across  that  meadow 
there.  I  called  out  to  him  and  asked, 
'*  Where  are  you  going?"  He  answered, 


22          THE  POST  OFFICE 

"I  don't  know,  anywhere!"  I  asked 
again,  "Why  are  you  going?"  He 
said,  "I'm  going  out  to  seek  work." 
Say,  Uncle,  have  you  to  seek  work? 

Madhav 

Of  course  I  have  to.  There's  many 
about  looking  for  jobs. 

Amal 

How  lovely !  I'll  go  about,  like  them 
too,  finding  things  to  do. 

Madhav 

Suppose  you  seek  and  don't  find. 
Then 

Amal 

Wouldn't  that  be  jolly?  Then  I 
should  go  farther !  I  watched  that  man 
slowly  walking  on  with  his  pair  of  worn 
out  shoes.  And  when  he  got  to  where 
the  water  flows  under  the  fig  tree,  he 


THE  POST  OFFICE          23 

stopped  and  washed  his  feet  in  the 
stream.  Then  he  took  out  from  his 
bundle  some  gram-flour,  moistened  it 
with  water  and  began  to  eat.  Then  he 
tied  up  his  bundle  and  shouldered  it 
again;  tucked  up  his  cloth  above  his 
knees  and  crossed  the  stream.  I've 
asked  Auntie  to  let  me  go  up  to  the 
stream,  and  eat  my  gram-flour  just 
like  him. 

Madhav 

And  what  did  your  Auntie  say  to 
that? 

Amal 

Auntie  said,  "Get  well  and  then  I'll 
take  you  over  there."  Please,  Uncle, 
when  shall  I  get  well? 

Madhav 
It  won't  be  long,  dear. 


24          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Amal 

Really,  but  then  I  shall  go  right  away 
the  moment  I'm  well  again. 

Madhav 
And  where  will  you  go? 

Amal 

Oh,  I  will  walk  on,  crossing  so 
many  streams,  wading  through  water. 
Everybody  will  be  asleep  with  their 
doors  shut  in  the  heat  of  the  day  and 
I  will  tramp  on  and  on  seeking  work 
far,  very  far. 

Madhav 

I  see!  I  think  you  had  better  be 
getting  well  first;  then 

Amal 

But  then  you  won't  want  me  to  be 
learned,  will  you,  Uncle? 


THE  POST  OFFICE          25 

Madhav 
What  would  you  rather  be  then? 

Amal 

I  can't  think  of  anything  just  now; 
but  I'll  tell  you  later  on. 

Madhav 

Very  well.  But  mind  you,  you 
aren't  to  call  out  and  talk  to  strangers 
again. 

Amal 
But  I  love  to  talk  to  strangers ! 

Madhav 
Suppose  they  had  kidnapped  you? 

Amal 

That  would  have  been  splendid! 
But  no  one  ever  takes  me  away.  They 
all  want  me  to  stay  in  here. 


26          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Madhav 

I  am  off  to  my  work — but,  darling, 
you  won't  go  out,  will  you? 

Amal 

No,  I  won't.    But,  Uncle,  you'll  let 
me  be  in  this  room  by  the  roadside. 

[Exit  Madhav] 

Dairyman 
Curds,  curds,  good  nice  curds. 

Amal 
Curdseller,  I  say,  Curdseller. 

Dairyman 

Why  do  you  call  me?    Will  you  buy 
some  curds? 

Amal 
How  can  I  buy?    I  have  no  money. 


THE  POST  OFFICE          27 

Dairyman 

What  a  boy!     Why  call  out  then? 
Ugh !    What  a  waste  of  time. 

Amal 
I  would  go  with  you  if  I  could. 

Dairyman 
With  me? 

Amal 

Yes,  I  seem  to  feel  homesick  when  I 
hear  you  call  from  far  down  the  road. 

Dairyman  [Lowering  his  yoke-pole] 
Whatever  are  you  doing  here,   my 
child? 

Amal 

The  doctor  says  I'm  not  to  be  out, 
so  I  sit  here  all  day  long. 


28          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Dairyman 

My  poor  child,  whatever  has  hap- 
pened to  you? 

Amal 

I  can't  tell.  You  see  I  am  not 
learned,  so  I  don't  know  what's  the 
matter  with  me.  Say,  Dairyman, 
where  do  you  come  from? 

Dairyman 
From  our  village. 

Amal 
Your  village?    Is  it  very  far? 

Dairyman 

Our  village  lies  on  the  river  Shamli 
at  the  foot  of  the  Panch-mura  hills. 

Amal 

Panch-mura  hills!  Shamli  river!  I 
wonder.  I  may  have  seen  your  village. 
I  can't  think  when  though ! 


THE  POST  OFFICE          29 

Dairyman 

Have  you  seen  it?    Been  to  the  foot 
of  those  hills? 


Amal 

Never.  But  I  seem  to  remember 
having  seen  it.  Your  village  is  under 
some  very  old  big  trees,  just  by  the  side 
of  the  red  road — isn't  that  so? 


Dairyman 
That's  right,  child. 

Amal 

And  on  the  slope  of  the  hill  cattle 
grazing. 

Dairyman 

How  wonderful !  Aren't  there  cattle 
grazing  in  our  village!  Indeed,  there 
are! 


30          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Amal 

And  your  women  with  red  sarees  fill 
their  pitchers  from  the  river  and  carry 
them  on  their  heads. 


Dairyman 

Good,  that's  right.  Women  from 
our  dairy  village  do  come  and  draw 
their  water  from  the  river;  but  then  it 
isn't  everyone  who  has  a  red  saree  to 
put  on.  But,  my  dear  child,  surely 
you  must  have  been  there  for  a  walk 
some  time. 

Amal 

Really,  Dairyman,  never  been  there 
at  all.  But  the  first  day  doctor  lets 
me  go  out,  you  are  going  to  take  me 
to  your  village. 

Dairyman 
I  will,  my  child,  with  pleasure. 


THE  POST  OFFICE          31 

Amal 

And  you'll  teach  me  to  cry  curds 
and  shoulder  the  yoke  like  you  and 
walk  the  long,  long  road? 

Dairyman 

Dear,  dear,  did  you  ever?  Why 
should  you  sell  curds?  No,  you  will 
read  big  books  and  be  learned. 

Amal 

No,  I  never  want  to  be  learned — I'll 
be  like  you  and  take  my  curds  from  the 
village  by  the  red  road  near  the  old 
banyan  tree,  and  I  will  hawk  it  from 
cottage  to  cottage.  Oh,  how  do  you 
cry — "Curd,  curd,  good  nice  curd!" 
Teach  me  the  tune,  will  you? 

Dairyman 

Dear,  dear,  teach  you  the  tune;  what 
an  idea! 


32          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Amal 

Please  do.  I  love  to  hear  it.  I  can't 
tell  you  how  queer  I  feel  when  I  hear 
you  cry  out  from  the  bend  of  that  road, 
through  the  line  of  those  trees!  Do 
you  know  I  feel  like  that  when  I  hear 
the  shrill  cry  of  kites  from  almost  the 
end  of  the  sky? 

Dairyman 

Dear  child,  will  you  have  some 
curds?  Yes,  do. 

Amal 
But  I  have  no  money. 

Dairyman 

No,  no,  no,  don't  talk  of  money! 
You'll  make  me  so  happy  if  you  have 
a  little  curds  from  me. 

Amal 
Say,  have  I  kept  you  too  long? 


THE  POST  OFFICE          33 

Dairyman 

Not  a  bit;  it  has  been  no  loss  to  me 
at  all;  you  have  taught  me  how  to  be 
happy  selling  curds.  [Exit] 

Amal  [Intoning} 

Curds,  curds,  good  nice  curds — from 
the  dairy  village — from  the  country  of 
the  Panch-mura  hills  by  the  Shamli 
bank.  Curds,  good  curds;  in  the 
early  morning  the  women  make  the 
cows  stand  in  a  row  under  the  trees 
and  milk  them,  and  in  the  evening  they 
turn  the  milk  into  curds.  Curds,  good 
curds.  Hello,  there's  the  watchman  on 
his  rounds.  Watchman,  I  say,  come 
and  have  a  word  with  me. 

Watchman 

What's  all  this  row  you  are  making? 
Aren't  you  afraid  of  the  likes  of  me? 

Amal 
No,  why  should  I  be? 


34          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Watchman 
Suppose  I  march  you  off  then? 

Amal 

Where  will  you  take  me  to?  Is  it 
very  far,  right  beyond  the  hills? 

Watchman 

Suppose  I  march  you  straight  to  the 
King? 

Amal 

To  the  King!  Do,  will  you?  But 
the  doctor  won't  let  me  go  out.  No 
one  can  ever  take  me  away.  I've  got 
to  stay  here  all  day  long. 

Watchman 

Doctor  won't  let  you,  poor  fellow! 
So  I  see!  Your  face  is  pale  and  there 
are  dark  rings  round  your  eyes.  Your 
veins  stick  out  from  your  poor  thin 
hands. 


THE  POST  OFFICE          35 

Amal 

Won't  you  sound  the  gong,  Watch- 
man? 

Watchman 
Time  has  not  yet  come. 

Amal 

How  curious!  Some  say  time  has 
not  yet  come,  and  some  say  time  has 
gone  by!  But  surely  your  time  will 
come  the  moment  you  strike  the  gong! 

Watchman 

That's  not  possible;  I  strike  up  the 
gong  only  when  it  is  time. 

Amal 

Yes,  I  love  to  hear  your  gong.  When 
it  is  midday  and  our  meal  is  over, 
Uncle  goes  off  to  his  work  and  Auntie 
falls  asleep  reading  her  Ramayana,  and 
in  the  courtyard  under  the  shadow  of 


36          THE  POST  OFFICE 

the  wall  our  doggie  sleeps  with  his  nose 
in  his  curled  up  tail;  then  your  gong 
strikes  out,  "Dong,  dong,  dong!"  Tell 
me  why  does  your  gong  sound? 

Watchman 

My  gong  sounds  to  tell  the  people, 
Time  waits  for  none,  but  goes  on  for- 
ever. 

Amal 
Where,  to  what  land? 

Watchman 
That  none  knows. 

Amal 

Then  I  suppose  no  one  has  ever  been 
there!  Oh,  I  do  wish  to  fly  with  the 
time  to  that  land  of  which  no  one 
knows  anything. 


THE  POST  OFFICE          37 

Watchman 

All  of  us  have  to  get  there  one  day, 
my  child. 

Amal 
Have  I  too? 

Watchman 
Yes,  you  too! 

Amal 
But  doctor  won't  let  me  out. 

Watchman 

One  day  the  doctor  himself  may  take 
you  there  by  the  hand. 

Amal 

He  won't;  you  don't  know  him.    He 
only  keeps  me  in. 


38          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Watchman 

One  greater  than  he  comes  and  lets 
us  free. 

Amal 

When  will  this  great  doctor  come  for 
me?  I  can't  stick  in  here  any  more. 

Watchman 
Shouldn't  talk  like  that,  my  child. 

Amal 

No.  I  am  here  where  they  have  left 
me — I  never  move  a  bit.  But  when 
your  gong  goes  off,  dong,  dong,  dong, 
it  goes  to  my  heart.  Say,  Watchman? 

Watchman 
Yes,  my  dear. 

Amal 

Say,  what's  going  on  there  in  that 
big  house  on  the  other  side,  where 


THE  POST  OFFICE          39 

there  is  a  flag  flying  high  up  and  the 
people  are  always  going  in  and  out? 

Watchman 

Oh,   there?     That's   our   new   Post 
Office. 

Amal 

Post  Office?    Whose? 

Watchman 
Whose?   Why,  the  King's  surely! 

Amal 

Do  letters  come  from  the  King  to  his 
office  here? 

Watchman 

Of  course.    One  fine  day  there  may 
be  a  letter  for  you  in  there. 

Amal 

A  letter  for  me?    But  I  am  only  a 
little  boy. 


40          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Watchman 

The  King  sends  tiny  notes  to  little 
boys. 

Amal 

Oh,  how  lovely!  When  shall  I  have 
my  letter?  How  do  you  guess  he'll 
write  to  me? 

Watchman 

Otherwise  why  should  he  set  his 
Post  Office  here  right  in  front  of  your 
open  window,  with  the  golden  flag 
flying? 

Amal 

But  who  will  fetch  me  my  King's 
letter  when  it  comes? 

Watchman 

The  King  has  many  postmen.  Don't 
you  see  them  run  about  with  round 
gilt  badges  on  their  chests? 


THE  POST  OFFICE          41 

Amal 
Well,  where  do  they  go? 

Watchman 

Oh,  from  door  to  door,  all  through 
the  country. 

Amal 

I'll  be  the  King's  postman  when  I 
grow  up. 

Watchman 

Ha!  ha!  Postman,  indeed!  Rain 
or  shine,  rich  or  poor,  from  house  to 
house  delivering  letters — that's  very 
great  work ! 

Amal 

That's  what  I'd  like  best.  What 
makes  you  smile  so?  Oh,  yes,  your 
work  is  great  too.  When  it  is  silent 
everywhere  in  the  heat  of  the  noonday, 
your  gong  sounds,  Dong,  dong,  dong,— 
and  sometimes  when  I  wake  up  at 


42          THE  POST  OFFICE 

night  all  of  a  sudden  and  find  our  lamp 
blown  out,  I  can  hear  through  the 
darkness  your  gong  slowly  sounding, 
Dong,  dong,  dong! 

Watchman 

There's  the  village  headman !  I  must 
be  off.,  If  he  catches  me  gossiping  with 
you  there'll  be  a  great  to  do. 

Amal 
The  headman?    Whereabouts  is  he? 

Watchman 

Right  down  the  road  there;  see  that 
huge  palm-leaf  umbrella  hopping  along? 
That's  him! 

Amal 

I  suppose  the  King's  made  him  our 
headman  here? 


THE  POST  OFFICE          43 

Watchman 

Made  him?  Oh,  no!  A  fussy  busy- 
body! He  knows  so  many  ways  of 
making  himself  unpleasant  that  every- 
body is  afraid  of  him.  It's  just  a  game 
for  the  likes  of  him,  making  trouble 
for  everybody.  I  must  be  off  now! 
Mustn't  keep  work  waiting,  you  know! 
I'll  drop  in  again  to-morrow  morning 
and  tell  you  all  the  news  of  the  town. 
[Exit] 

Amal 

It  would  be  splendid  to  have  a  letter 
from  the  King  every  day.  I'll  read 
them  at  the  window.  But,  oh!  I  can't 
read  writing.  Who'll  read  them  out  to 
me,  I  wonder!  Auntie  reads  her  Ra- 
mayana;  she  may  know  the  King's 
writing.  If  no  one  will,  then  I  must 
keep  them  carefully  and  read  them 
when  I'm  grown  up.  But  if  the  post- 
man can't  find  me?  Headman,  Mr. 
Headman,  may  I  have  a  word  with  you? 


44          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Headman 

Who  is  yelling  after  me  on  the  high- 
way?   Oh,  you  wretched  monkey ! 

Amal 

You're   the   headman.      Everybody 
minds  you. 

Headman  [Looking  pleased} 
Yes,  oh  yes,  they  do !   They  must ! 

Amal 
Do  the  King's  postmen  listen  to  you? 

Headman 

They've  got  to.    By  Jove,  I'd  like  to 
see 

Amal 

Will  you  tell  the  postman  it's  Amal 
who  sits  by  the  window  here? 


THE  POST  OFFICE          45 

Headman 
What's  the  good  of  that? 

Amal 
In  case  there's  a  letter  for  me. 

Headman 

A  letter  for  you!  Whoever's  going 
to  write  to  you? 

Amal 
If  the  King  does. 

Headman 

Ha!  ha!  What  an  uncommon  little 
fellow  you  are!  Ha!  ha!  the  King  in- 
deed, aren't  you  his  bosom  friend,  eh! 
You  haven't  met  for  a  long  while  and 
the  King  is  pining,  I  am  sure.  Wait 
till  to-morrow  and  you'll  have  your 
letter. 


46          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Amal 

Say,  Headman,  why  do  you  speak 
to  me  in  that  tone  of  voice?  Are  you 
cross? 

Headman 

Upon  my  word!  Cross,  indeed! 
You  write  to  the  King!  Madhav  is 
devilish  swell  nowadays.  He'd  made 
a  little  pile;  and  so  kings  and  padishahs 
are  everyday  talk  with  his  people.  Let 
me  find  him  once  and  I'll  make  him 
dance.  Oh,  you  snipper-snapper!  I'll 
get  the  King's  letter  sent  to  your  house 
— indeed  I  will! 

Amal 

No,  no,  please  don't  trouble  your- 
self about  it. 

Headman 

And  why  not,  pray!  I'll  tell  the 
King  about  you  and  he  won't  be  very 


THE  POST  OFFICE          47 

long.  One  of  his  footmen  will  come 
along  presently  for  news  of  you.  Mad- 
hav's  impudence  staggers  me.  If  the 
King  hears  of  this,  that'll  take  some 
of  his  nonsense  out  of  him.  [Exit] 

Amal 

Who  are  you  walking  there?  How 
your  anklets  tinkle!  Do  stop  a  while, 
dear,  won't  you? 

[A  Girl  enters] 

Girl 

I  haven't  a  moment  to  spare;  it  is 
already  late! 

Amal 

I  see,  you  don't  wish  to  stop ;  I  don't 
care  to  stay  on  here  either. 

Girl 

You  make  me  think  of  some  late  star 
of  the  morning !  Whatever's  the  matter 
with  you? 


48          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Amal 

I  don't  know;  the  doctor  won't  let 
me  out. 

Girl 

i 

Ah  me!  Don't  then!  Should  listen 
to  the  doctor.  People'll  be  cross  with 
you  if  you're  naughty.  I  know,  always 
looking  out  and  watching  must  make 
you  feel  tired.  Let  me  close  the  win- 
dow a  bit  for  you. 

A  mat 

No,  don't,  only  this  one's  open !  All 
the  others  are  shut.  But  will  you  tell 
me  who  you  are?  Don't  seem  to  know 
you. 

Girl 
I  am  Sudha. 

Amal 
What  Sudha? 


THE  POST  OFFICE          49 

Sudha 

Don't  you  know?  Daughter  of  the 
flower-seller  here. 

Amal 
What  do  you  do? 

Sudha 
I  gather  flowers  in  my  basket. 

Amal 

Oh,  flower  gathering!  That  is  why 
your  feet  seem  so  glad  and  your  anklets 
jingle  so  merrily  as  you  walk.  Wish  I 
could  be  out  too.  Then  I  would  pick 
some  flowers  for  you  from  the  very 
topmost  branches  right  out  of  sight. 

Sudha 

Would  you  really?  Do  you  know 
more  about  flowers  than  I? 


50          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Amal 

Yes,  I  do,  quite  as  much.  I  know  all 
about  Champa  of  the  fairy  tale  and 
his  seven  brothers.  If  only  they  let 
me,  I'll  go  right  into  the  dense  forest 
where  you  can't  find  your  way.  And 
where  the  honey-sipping  humming- 
bird rocks  himself  on  the  end  of  the 
thinnest  branch,  I  will  flower  out  as  a 
champa.  Would  you  be  my  sister 
Parul? 

Sudha 

You  are  silly!  How  can  I  be  sister 
Parul  when  I  am  Sudha  and  my  mother 
is  Sasi,  the  flower-seller?  I  have  to 
weave  so  many  garlands  a  day.  It 
would  be  jolly  if  I  could  lounge  here 
like  you! 

Amal 

What  would  you  do  then,  all  the 
day  long? 


THE  POST  OFFICE          51 

Sudha 

I  could  have  great  times  with  my  doll 
Benay  the  bride,  and  Meni  the  pussy- 
cat and — but  I  say  it  is  getting  late 
and  I  mustn't  stop,  or  I  won't  find  a 
single  flower. 

Amal 
Oh,  wait  a  little  longer;  I  do  like  it  so! 

Sudha 

Ah,  well — now  don't  you  be  naughty. 
Be  good  and  sit  still  and  on  my  way 
back  home  with  the  flowers  I'll  come 
and  talk  with  you. 

Amal 
And  you'll  let  me  have  a  flower  then? 

Sudha 

No,  how  can  I?  It  has  to  be  paid 
for. 


52          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Amal 

I'll  pay  when  I  grow  up — before  I 
leave  to  look  for  work  out  on  the  other 
side  of  that  stream  there. 

Sudha 
Very  well,  then. 

Amal 

And  you'll  come  back  when  you  have 
your  flowers? 

Sudha 
I  will. 

Amal 
You  will,  really? 

Sudha 
Yes,  I  will. 


THE  POST  OFFICE          53 

Amal 

You  won't  forget  me?    I  am  Amal, 
remember  that. 

Sudha 
I  won't  forget  you,  you'll  see.    [Exit] 

[A  Troop  of  Boys  enter] 

Amal 

Say,  brothers,  where  are  you  all  off 
to?    Stop  here  a  little. 

Boys 
We're  off  to  play. 

Amal 
What  will  you  play  at,  brothers? 

Boys 
We'll  play  at  being  ploughmen. 


54          THE  POST  OFFICE 

First  Boy  [Showing  a  stick] 
This  is  our  ploughshare. 

Second  Boy 
We  two  are  the  pair  of  oxen. 

Amal 

And  you're  going  to  play  the  whole 
day? 

Boys 
Yes,  all  day  long. 

Amal 

And  you'll  come  back  home  in  the 
.   evening  by  the  road  along  the  river 
bank? 

Boys 
Yes. 

Amal 

Do  you  pass  our  house  on  your  way 
home? 


THE  POST  OFFICE          55 

Boys 
You  come  out  to  play  with  us,  yes  do. 

Amal 
Doctor  won't  let  me  out. 

Boys 

Doctor!  Suppose  the  likes  of  you 
mind  the  doctor.  Let's  be  off;  it  is 
getting  late. 

Amal 

Don't.  Why  not  play  on  the  road 
near  this  window?  I  could  watch  you 
then. 

Third  Boy 
What  can  we  play  at  here? 

Amal 

With  all  these  toys  of  mine  lying 
about.  Here  you  are,  have  them.  I 


56          THE  POST  OFFICE 

can't  play   alone.     They   are  getting 
dirty  and  are  of  no  use  to  me. 

Boys 

How  jolly!  What  fine  toys!  Look, 
here's  a  ship.  There's  old  mother 
Jatai;  say,  chaps,  ain't  he  a  gorgeous 
sepoy  ?  And  you'll  let  us  have  them  all  ? 
You  don't  really  mind? 

Amal 

No,  not  a  bit;  have  them  by  all 
means. 

Boys 
You  don't  want  them  back? 

Amal 
Oh,  no,  I  shan't  want  them. 

Boys 

Say,  won't  you  get  a  scolding  for 
this? 


THE  POST  OFFICE          57 

Amal 

No  one  will  scold  me.  But  will  you 
play  with  them  in  front  of  our  door  for 
a  while  every  morning?  I'll  get  you 
new  ones  when  these  are  old. 

Boys 

Oh,  yes,  we  will.  Say,  chaps,  put 
these  sepoys  into  a  line.  We'll  play  at 
war;  where  can  we  get  a  musket?  Oh, 
look  here,  this  bit  of  reed  will  do  nicely. 
Say,  but  you're  off  to  sleep  already. 

Amal 

I'm  afraid  I'm  sleepy.  I  don't 
know,  I  feel  like  it  at  times.  I  have 
been  sitting  a  long  while  and  I'm  tired; 
my  back  aches. 

Boys 

It's  only  early  noon  now.  How  is  it 
you're  sleepy?  Listen!  The  gong's 
sounding  the  first  watch. 


58          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Amal 

Yes,  dong,  dong,  dong,  it  tolls  me 
to  sleep. 

Boys 

We  had  better  go  then.  We'll  come 
in  again  to-morrow  morning. 

Amal 

I  want  to  ask  you  something  before 
you  go.  You  are  always  out — do  you 
know  of  the  King's  postmen? 

Boys 
Yes,  quite  well. 

Amal 
Who  are  they?    Tell  me  their  names. 

Boys 

One's  Badal,  another's  Sarat. 
There's  so  many  of  them. 


59 


Do  you  think  they  will  know  me  if 
there's  a  letter  for  me? 

Boys 

Surely,  if  your  name's  on  the  letter 
they  will  find  you  out. 

Amal 

When  you  call  in  to-morrow  morn- 
ing, will  you  bring  one  of  them  along 
so  that  he'll  know  me? 

Boys 
Yes,  if  you  like. 

CURTAIN 


THE  POST  OFFICE 
ACT  II 


THE  POST  OFFICE 

ACT  II 

[Amal  in  Bed] 

Amal 

Can't  I  go  near  the  window  to-day, 
Uncle?  Would  the  doctor  mind  that 
too? 

Madhav 

Yes,  darling,  you  see  you've  made 
yourself  worse  squatting  there  day  after 
day. 

Amal 

Oh,  no,  I  don't  know  if  it's  made  me 
more  ill,  but  I  always  feel  well  when 
I'm  there. 

63 


64          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Madhav 

No,  you  don't;  you  squat  there  and 
make  friends  with  the  whole  lot  of 
people  round  here,  old  and  young,  as  if 
they  are  holding  a  fair  right  under  my 
eaves — flesh  and  blood  won't  stand 
that  strain.  Just  see — your  face  is 
quite  pale. 

Amal 

Uncle,  I  fear  my  f akir'll  pass  and  not 
see  me  by  the  window. 

Madhav 
Your  fakir,  whoever's  that? 

Amal 

He  comes  and  chats  to  me  of  the 
many  lands  where  he's  been.  I  love 
to  hear  him. 


THE  POST  OFFICE  65 

Madhav 

How's  that?  I  don't  know  of  any 
fakirs. 

Amal 

This  is  about  the  time  he  comes  in. 
I  beg  of  you,  by  your  dear  feet,  ask  him 
in  for  a  moment  to  talk  to  me  here. 

[Gaffer  Enters  in  a  Fakir's  Guise] 

Amal 

There  you  are.  Come  here,  Fakir, 
by  my  bedside. 

Madhav 
Upon  my  word,  but  this  is 


Gaffer  [Winking  hard] 
I  am  the  fakir. 

Madhav 

It  beats  my  reckoning  what  you're 
not. 


66          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Amal 

Where  have  you  been  this  time, 
Fakir? 

Fakir 

To  the  Isle  of  Parrots.  I  am  just 
back. 

Madhav 

The  Parrots'  Isle! 

Fakir 

Is  it  so  very  astonishing?  Am  I  like 
you,  man?  A  journey  doesn't  cost  a 
thing.  I  tramp  just  where  I  like. 

Amal  [Clapping] 

How  jolly  for  you!  Remember  your 
promise  to  take  me  with  you  as  your 
follower  when  I'm  well. 

Fakir 

Of  course,  and  I'll  teach  you  such 
secrets  too  of  travelling  that  nothing 


THE  POST  OFFICE          67 

in  sea  or  forest  or  mountain  can  bar 
your  way. 

Madhav 
What's  all  this  rigmarole? 

Gaffer 

Amal,  my  dear,  I  bow  to  nothing  in 
sea  or  mountain;  but  if  the  doctor  joins 
in  with  this  uncle  of  yours,  then  I  with 
all  my  magic  must  own  myself  beaten. 

Amal 

No.  Uncle  shan't  tell  the  doctor. 
And  I  promise  to  lie  quiet;  but  the  day 
I  am  well,  off  I  go  with  the  Fakir  and 
nothing  in  sea  or  mountain  or  torrent 
shall  stand  in  my  way. 

Madhav 

Fie,  dear  child,  don't  keep  on  harp- 
ing upon  going!  It  makes  me  so  sad 
to  hear  you  talk  so. 


68          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Amal 

Tell  me,  Fakir,  what  the  Parrots'  Isle 
is  like. 

Gaffer 

It's  a  land  of  wonders;  it's  a  haunt 
of  birds.  There's  no  man;  and  they 
neither  speak  nor  walk,  they  simply 
sing  and  they  fly. 

Amal 
How  glorious !    And  it's  by  some  sea? 

Gaffer 
Of  course.    It's  on  the  sea. 

Amal 
And  green  hills  are  there? 

Gaffer 

Indeed,  they  live  among  the  green 
hills ;  and  in  the  time  of  the  sunset  when 
there  is  a  red  glow  on  the  hillside,  all 


THE  POST  OFFICE          69 

the  birds  with  their  green  wings  flock 
back  to  their  nests. 


Amal 
And  there  are  waterfalls ! 


Gaffer 

Dear  me,  of  course;  you  don't  have 
a  hill  without  its  waterfalls.  Oh,  it's 
like  molten  diamonds;  and,  my  dear, 
what  dances  they  have!  Don't  they 
make  the  pebbles  sing  as  they  rush 
over  them  to  the  sea.  No  devil  of  a 
doctor  can  stop  them  for  a  moment. 
The  birds  looked  upon  me  as  nothing 
but  a  man,  quite  a  trifling  creature 
without  wings — and  they  would  have 
nothing  to  do  with  me.  Were  it  not 
so  I  would  build  a  small  cabin  for  my- 
self among  their  crowd  of  nests  and 
pass  my  days  counting  the  sea  waves. 


70          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Amal 
How  I  wish  I  were  a  bird !    Then- 


Gafer 

But  that  would  have  been  a  bit  of  a 
job;  I  hear  you've  fixed  up  with  the 
dairyman  to  be  a  hawker  of  curds  when 
you  grow  up;  I'm  afraid  such  business 
won't  flourish  among  birds;  you  might 
land  yourself  into  serious  loss. 

Madhav 

Really  this  is  too  much.  Between 
you  two  I  shall  turn  crazy.  Now,  I'm 
off. 

Amal 
Has  the  dairyman  been,  Uncle? 

Madhav 

And  why  shouldn't  he?  He  won't 
bother  his  head  running  errands  for 
your  pet  fakir,  in  and  out  among  the 


THE  POST  OFFICE          71 

nests  in  his  Parrots'  Isle.  But  he  has 
left  a  jar  of  curd  for  you  saying  that  he 
is  rather  busy  with  his  niece's  wedding 
in  the  village,  and  he  has  got  to  order 
a  band  at  Kamlipara. 

Amal 

But  he  is  going  to  marry  me  to  his 
little  niece. 

Gaffer 
Dear  me,  we  are  in  a  fix  now. 

Amal 

He  said  she  would  find  me  a  lovely 
little  bride  with  a  pair  of  pearl  drops 
in  her  ears  and  dressed  in  a  lovely  red 
sdree;  and  in  the  morning  she  would 
milk  with  her  own  hands  the  black  cow 
and  feed  me  with  warm  milk  with  foam 
on  it  from  a  brand  new  earthen  cruse; 
and  in  the  evenings  she  would  carry  the 
lamp  round  the  cow-house,  and  then 


72          THE  POST  OFFICE 

come  and  sit  by  me  to  tell  me  tales  of 
Champa  and  his  six  brothers. 

Gaffer 

How  delicious !  The  prospect  tempts 
even  me,  a  hermit!  But  never  mind, 
dear,  about  this  wedding.  Let  it  be. 
I  tell  you  when  you  wed  there'll  be  no 
lack  of  nieces  in  his  household. 

Madhav 

Shut  up!  This  is  more  than  I  can 
stand.  [Exit] 

Amal 

Fakir,  now  that  Uncle's  off,  just  tell 
me,  has  the  King  sent  me  a  letter  to  the 
Post  Office? 

Gaffer 

I  gather  that  his  letter  has  already 
started;  but  it's  still  on  the  way. 


THE  POST  OFFICE 

Amal 


73 


On  the  way?  Where  is  it?  Is  it  on 
that  road  winding  through  the  trees 
which  you  can  follow  to  the  end  of  the 
forest  when  the  sky  is  quite  clear 
after  rain? 

Gaffer 

That's  so.  You  know  all  about  it 
already. 

Amal 
I  do,  everything. 

Gaffer 
So  I  see,  but  how? 

Amal 

I  can't  say;  but  it's  quite  clear  to  me. 
I  fancy  I've  seen  it  often  in  days  long 
gone  by.  How  long  ago  I  can't  tell. 


74          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Do  you  know  when?  I  can  see  it  all: 
there,  the  King's  postman  coming  down 
the  hillside  alone,  a  lantern  in  his  left 
hand  and  on  his  back  a  bag  of  letters; 
climbing  down  for  ever  so  long,  for 
days  and  nights,  and  where  at  the  foot 
of  the  mountain  the  waterfall  becomes 
a  stream  he  takes  to  the  footpath  on 
the  bank  and  walks  on  through  the  rye; 
then  comes  the  sugarcane  field  and  he 
disappears  into  the  narrow  lane  cutting 
through  the  tall  stems  of  sugarcanes; 
then  he  reaches  the  open  meadow  where 
the  cricket  chirps  and  where  there  is 
not  a  single  man  to  be  seen,  only  the 
snipe  wagging  their  tails  and  poking 
at  the  mud  with  their  bills.  I  can  feel 
him  coming  nearer  and  nearer  and  my 
heart  becomes  glad. 

Gaffer 

My  eyes  aren't  young;  but  you  make 
me  see  all  the  same. 


THE  POST  OFFICE          75 

Amal 

Say,  Fakir,  do  you  know  the  King 
who  has  this  Post  Office? 

Gaffer 

I  do;  I  go  to  him  for  my  alms  every 
day. 

Amal 

Good !  When  I  get  well,  I  must  have 
my  alms  too  from  him,  mayn't  I? 

Gaffer 

You  won't  need  to  ask,  my  dear, 
he'll  give  it  to  you  of  his  own  accord. 

Amal 

No,  I  would  go  to  his  gate  and  cry, 
"Victory  to  thee,  O  King!"  and  danc- 
ing to  the  tabor's  sound,  ask  for  alms. 
Won't  it  be  nice? 


76  THE  POST  OFFICE 

Gaffer 

It  would  be  splendid,  and  if  you're 
with  me,  I  shall  have  my  full  share. 
But  what'll  you  ask? 

Amal 

I  shall  say,  "Make  me  your  postman, 
that  I  may  go  about  lantern  in  hand, 
delivering  your  letters  from  door  to 
door.  Don't  let  me  stay  at  home  all 
day! 

Gaffer 

What  is  there  to  be  sad  for,  my  child, 
even  were  you  to  stay  at  home? 

Amal 

It  isn't  sad.  When  they  shut  me  in 
here  first  I  felt  the  day  was  so  long. 
Since  the  King's  Post  Office  I  like  it 
more  and  more  being  indoors,  and  as  I 
think  I  shall  get  a  letter  one  day,  I  feel 
quite  happy  and  then  I  don't  mind  be- 


THE  POST  OFFICE          77 

ing  quiet  and  alone.  I  wonder  if  I  shall 
make  out  what '11  be  in  the  King's 
letter? 

Gaffer 

Even  if  you  didn't  wouldn't  it  be 
enough  if  it  just  bore  your  name? 

[Madhav  enters] 

Madhav 

Have  you  any  idea  of  the  trouble 
you've  got  me  into,  between  you  two? 

Gaffer 
What's  the  matter? 

Madhav 

I  hear  you've  let  it  get  rumored 
about  that  the  King  has  planted  his 
office  here  to  send  messages  to  both 
of  you. 


78          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Gaffer 
Well,  what  about  it? 

Madhav 

Our  headman  Panchanan  has  had  it 
told  to  the  King  anonymously. 

Gaffer 

Aren't  we  aware  that  everything 
reaches  the  King's  ears? 

Madhav 

Then  why  don't  you  look  out?  Why 
take  the  King's  name  in  vain?  You'll 
bring  me  to  ruin  if  you  do. 

Amal 
Say,  Fakir,  will  the  King  be  cross? 

Gaffer 

Cross,  nonsense!  And  with  a  child 
like  you  and  a  fakir  such  as  I  am.  Let's 


THE  POST  OFFICE          79 

see  if  the  King  be  angry,  and  then 
won't  I  give  him  a  piece  of  my  mind. 


Amal 

Say,  Fakir,  I've  been  feeling  a  sort 
of  darkness  coming  over  my  eyes  since 
the  morning.  Everything  seems  like 
a  dream.  I  long  to  be  quiet.  I  don't 
feel  like  talking  at  all.  Won't  the 
King's  letter  come?  Suppose  this 
room  melts  away  all  on  a  sudden, 
suppose 

Gaffer  [Fanning  Amal] 

The  letter's  sure  to  come  to-day, 
my  boy. 

[Doctor  enters] 

Doctor 
And  how  do  you  feel  to-day? 


80          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Amal 

Peel  awfully  well  to-day,  Doctor. 
All  pain  seems  to  have  left  me. 

Doctor  [Aside  to  Madhav] 
Don't   quite   like   the   look   of  that 
smile.    Bad  sign  that,  his  feeling  well! 
Chakradhan  has  observed 

Madhav 

For  goodness  sake,  Doctor,  leave 
Chakradhan  alone.  Tell  me  what's 
going  to  happen? 

Doctor 

Can't  hold  him  in  much  longer,  I 
fear!  I  warned  you  before — This  looks 
like  a  fresh  exposure. 

Madhav 

No,  I've  used  the  utmost  care,  never 
let  him  out  of  doors;  and  the  windows 
have  been  shut  almost  all  the  time. 


THE  POST  OFFICE          81 

Doctor 

There's  a  peculiar  quality  in  the  air 
to-day.  As  I  came  in  I  found  a  fearful 
draught  through  your  front  door. 
That's  most  hurtful.  Better  lock  it  at 
once.  Would  it  matter  if  this  kept 
your  visitors  off  for  two  or  three  days? 
If  someone  happens  to  call  unexpect- 
edly— there's  the  back  door.  You  had 
better  shut  this  window  as  well,  it's 
letting  in  the  sunset  rays  only  to  keep 
the  patient  awake. 

Madhav 

Amal  has  shut  his  eyes.  I  expect  he 
is  sleeping.  His  face  tells  me — Oh, 
Doctor,  I  bring  in  a  child  who  is  a 
stranger  and  .love  him  as  my  own,  and 
now  I  suppose  I  must  lose  him! 

Doctor 

What's  that?  There's  your  headman 
sailing  in! — What  a  bother!  I  must 


82          THE  POST  OFFICE 

be  going,  brother.  You  had  better  stir 
about  and  see  to  the  doors  being  prop- 
erly fastened.  I  will  send  on  a  strong 
dose  directly  I  get  home.  Try  it  on 
him — it  may  save  him  at  last,  if  he  can 
be  saved  at  all.  [Exeunt  Hadhav  and 
Doctor.] 

[The  Headman  enters] 

Headman 
Hello,  urchin! 

Gaffer  [Rising  hastily] 
5Sh,  be  quiet. 

Amal 

No,  Fakir,  did  you  think  I  was 
asleep?  I  wasn't.  I  can  hear  every- 
thing; yes,  and  voices  far  away.  I  feel 
that  mother  and  father  are  sitting  by 
my  pillow  and  speaking  to  me. 

[Madhav  enters] 


THE  POST  OFFICE          83 

Headman 

I  say,  Madhav,  I  hear  you  hobnob 
with  bigwigs  nowadays. 

Madhav 

Spare  me  your  jests,  Headman,  we 
are  but  common  people. 

Headman 

But  your  child  here  is  expecting  a 
letter  from  the  King. 

Madhav 

Don't  you  take  any  notice  of  him, 
a  mere  foolish  boy ! 

Headman 

Indeed,  why  not!  It'll  beat  the 
King  hard  to  find  a  better  family! 
Don't  you  see  why  the  King  plants  his 
new  Post  Office  right  before  your  win- 
dow? Why  there's  a  letter  for  you  from 
the  King,  urchin. 


84          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Amal  [Starting  up] 
Indeed,  really! 

Headman 

How  can  it  be  false?  You're  the 
King's  chum.  Here's  your  letter  [show- 
ing a  blank  slip  of  paper].  Ha,  ha,  ha! 
This  is  the  letter. 

Amal 

Please  don't  mock  me.  Say,  Fakir, 
is  it  so? 

Gaffer 

Yes,  my  dear.  I  as  Fakir  tell  you  it 
is  his  letter. 

Amal 

How  is  it  I  can't  see?  It  all  looks  so 
blank  to  me.  What  is  there  in  the 
letter,  Mr.  Headman? 


THE  POST  OFFICE          85 

Headman 

The  King  says,  "I  am  calling  on  you 
shortly;  you  had  better  arrange  puffed 
rice  offerings  for  me. — Palace  fare  is 
quite  tasteless  to  me  now. "  Ha !  ha !  ha ! 

Madhav  [With  folded  palms] 

I  beseech  you,  headman,  don't  you 
joke  about  these  things — 

Gaffer 
Cutting  jokes  indeed,  dare  he! 

Madhav 
Are  you  out  of  your  mind  too,  Gaffer? 

Gaffer 

Out  of  my  mind,  well  then  I  am;  I 
can  read  plainly  that  the  King  writes 
he  will  come  himself  to  see  Amal,  with 
the  state  physician. 


86          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Amal 

Fakir,  Fakir,  'sh,  his  trumpet!  Can't 
you  hear? 

Headman 

Ha!  ha!  ha!  I  fear  he  won't  until 
he's  a  bit  more  off  his  head. 

Amal 

Mr.  Headman,  I  thought  you  were 
cross  with  me  and  didn't  love  me.  I 
never  could  think  you  would  fetch  me 
the  King's  letter.  Let  me  wipe  the 
dust  off  your  feet. 

Headman 

This  little  child  does  have  an  in- 
stinct of  reverence.  Though  a  little 
silly,  he  has  a  good  heart. 

Amal 

It's  hard  on  the  fourth  watch  now, 
I  suppose — Hark  the  gong,  "Dong, 


THE  POST  OFFICE          87 

dong,  ding,"  "Dong,  dong,  ding."  Is 
the  evening  star  up?  How  is  it  I  can't 
see 

Ga/er 

Oh,  the  windows  are  all  shut,  I'll 
open  them. 

[A  knocking  outside} 

Madhav 

What's   that? — Who  is   it — what  a 
bother ! 

Voice  [From  outside] 
Open  the  door. 

Madhav 

Say,   Headman — Hope   they're   not 
robbers. 

Headman 

Who's  there? — It's  Panchanan,  the 
headman,  calls — Aren't  you  afraid  of 


88          THE  POST  OFFICE 

the  like  of  me?  Fancy!  The  noise  has 
ceased!  Panchanan's  voice  carries  far. 
— Yes,  show  me  the  biggest  rob- 
bers ! 

Madhav  [Peering  out  of  the  window} 

I  should  think  the  noise  has  ceased, 
they've  smashed  the  door. 

[The  King's  Herald  enters] 

Herald 
Our  Sovereign  King  conies  to-night! 

Headman 
My  God! 

Amal 
At  what  hour  of  the  night,  Herald? 

Herald 
On  the  second  watch. 


THE  POST  OFFICE          89 

Amal 

When  from  the  city  gates  my  friend 
the  watchman  will  strike  his  gong, 
"ding  dong  ding,  ding  dong  ding" — 
then? 

Herald 

Yes,  then.  The  King  sends  his 
greatest  physician  to  attend  on  his 
young  friend. 

State  Physician  enters 

State  Physician 

What's  this?  How  close  it  is  here! 
Open  wide  all  the  doors  and  windows. 
[Feeling  AmaTs  body}  How  do  you  feel, 
my  child? 

Amal 

I  feel  very  well,  Doctor,  very  well. 
All  pain  is  gone.  How  fresh  and  open! 
I  can  see  all  the  stars  now  twinkling 
from  the  other  side  of  the  dark. 


90          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Physician 

Will  you  feel  well  enough  to  leave 
your  bed  with  the  King  when  he  comes 
in  the  middle  watches  of  the  night? 

Amal 

Of  course,  I'm  dying  to  be  about  for 
ever  so  long.  I'll  ask  the  King  to  find 
me  the  polar  star. — I  must  have  seen 
it  often,  but  I  don't  know  exactly  which 
it  is. 

Physician 

He  will  tell  you  everything.  [To 
Madhav]  Will  you  go  about  and  ar- 
range flowers  through  the  room  for  the 
King's  visit?  [Indicating  the  Headman] 
We  can't  have  that  person  in  here. 

Amal 

No,  let  him  be,  Doctor.  He  is  a 
friend.  It  was  he  who  brought  me  the 
King's  letter. 


THE  POST  OFFICE          91 

Physician 

Very  well,  my  child.  He  may  re- 
main if  he  is  a  friend  of  yours. 

Madhav  [Whispering  into  AmaVs  ear} 

My  child,  the  King  loves  you.  He 
is  coming  himself.  Beg  for  a  gift  from 
him.  You  know  our  humble  circum- 
stances. 

Amal 

Don't  you  worry,  Uncle. — I've  made 
up  my  mind  about  it. 

Madhav 
What  is  it,  my  child? 

Amal 

I  shall  ask  him  to  make  me  one  of  his 
postmen  that  I  may  wander  far  and 
wide,  delivering  his  message  from  door 
to  door. 


92          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Madhav  [Slapping  his  forehead] 
Alas,  is  that  all? 

Amal 

What '11  be  our  offerings  to  the  King, 
Uncle,  when  he  comes? 

Herald 
He  has  commanded  puffed  rice. 

Amal 

Puffed  rice!  Say,  Headman,  you're 
right.  You  said  so.  You  knew  all  we 
didn't. 

Headman 

If  you  send  word  to  my  house  then  I 
could  manage  for  the  King's  advent 
really  nice 

Physician 

No  need  at  all.  Now  be  quiet  all  of 
you.  Sleep  is  coming  over  him.  I'll 


THE  POST  OFFICE          93 

sit  by  his  pillow;  he's  dropping  into 
slumber.  Blow  out  the  oil-lamp.  Only 
let  the  star-light  stream  in.  Hush, 
he  slumbers. 

Madhav  [Addressing  Gaffer] 

What  are  you  standing  there  for  like 
a  statue,  folding  your  palms. — I  am 
nervous. — Say,  are  they  good  omens? 
Why  are  they  darkening  the  room? 
How  will  star-light  help? 

Gaffer 
Silence,  unbeliever. 

[Sudha  enters] 

Sudha 
Amal! 

Physician 
He's  asleep. 


94          THE  POST  OFFICE 

Sudha 

I  have  some  flowers  for  him.    Mayn't 
I  give  them  into  his  own  hand? 

Physician 
Yes,  you  may. 

Sudha 
When  will  he  be  awake? 

Physician 

Directly  the  King  comes  and  calls 
him. 

Sudha 

Will  you  whisper  a  word  for  me  in  his 
ear? 

Physician 
What  shall  I  say? 


THE  POST  OFFICE          95 

Sudha 

Tell  him  Sudha  has  not  forgotten 
him. 

CURTAIN 


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